Bush like Hitler, says first Muslim in Congress

[Aptrgangr]

Bush like Hitler, says first Muslim in Congress

By Toby Harnden in Washington
Last Updated: 1:14am BST 15/07/200


Keith Ellison, a convert to Islam, has cultivated a moderate image since being elected last November

America's first Muslim congressman has provoked outrage by apparently comparing President George W Bush to Adolf Hitler and hinting that he might have been responsible for the September 11 attacks.

Addressing a gathering of atheists in his home state of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, a Democrat, compared the 9/11 atrocities to the destruction of the Reichstag, the German parliament, in 1933. This was probably burned down by the Nazis in order to justify Hitler's later seizure of emergency powers.

"It's almost like the Reichstag fire, kind of reminds me of that," Mr Ellison said. "After the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the Communists for it, and it put the leader [Hitler] of that country in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted."

To applause from his audience of 300 members of Atheists for Human Rights, Mr Ellison said he would not accuse the Bush administration of planning 9/11 because "you know, that's how they put you in the nut-ball box - dismiss you".

Vice-President Dick Cheney's stance of refusing to answer some questions from Congress was "the very definition of totalitarianism, authoritarianism and dictatorship", he added.

Mr Ellison also raised eyebrows by telling his audience: "You'll always find this Muslim standing up for your right to be atheists all you want."

A convert to Islam who was previously linked to the extremist Nation of Islam, Mr Ellison, 42, has cultivated a moderate image since being elected last November, concentrating on issues such as health and education.

He is an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq. But he angered his own anti-war supporters by voting for a budget bill that aims to end the war over the next 18 months. His followers want an immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

After his speech was reported, Mr Ellison said he accepted that Osama bin Laden was responsible for 9/11. But his demagogic comments threaten to plunge him in controversy.

Mark Drake, of the Republican party in Minnesota, said: "To compare the democratically elected leader of the United States of America to Hitler is an absolute moral outrage which trivialises the horrors of Nazi Germany."

Bush like Hitler, says first Muslim in Congress | International News | News | Telegraph

[Marcus Marulus]

Let us see...

Bush is Hitler, according to the opponents of the American politics. Saddam was Hitler, according to the American propaganda. Palestinians and Arabs said that Ariel Sharon was Hitler. Israelis claim that Ahmadinejad is new Hitler. On recent demonstrations against the Russian president Putin, there was a transparent saying: Putin=Hitler. Robert Mugabe is a "black Hitler". So was Idi Amin. Kim Yong Il is also a kind of Asiatic Hitler, as some media commentators say.

The myth of Adolf the Great is not waning and fading away, not even after 62 years since the end of the Second World War. Really amazing! It is enough to declare some Hitler, in order to discredit him. An incarnation of Absolute Evil, a standard by which the degree of someone's evilness is measured.

[Theobald]

Originally Posted by Aprtgangr

Mark Drake, of the Republican party in Minnesota, said: "To compare the democratically elected leader of the United States of America to Hitler is an absolute moral outrage which trivialises the horrors of Nazi Germany."

But wasn't Hitler democratically elected as well, Mr Drake ?

[Tabitha]

In relation to what the congressman said about Cheney, I'd say he was making some valid points but the main difference is that Bush has a finite term in office, leaving his successor to clean up the mess in Iraq.

[Marcus Marulus]

Originally Posted by Theobald

But wasn't Hitler democratically elected as well, Mr Drake ?

Indeed, Hitler's election in 1933 was more domocratic than Bush's one in 2000. (when more people voted for Al Gore than for Bush).

[Gavril]

Two cases of democracy at its very best.

[Errigal]

I think saying Bush is like Hitler is a little unfair to Hitler.

I don't say that just to be cute; Hitler seems to have been a much more thoughtful and intelligent man than Bush. It is clear that Hitler was very wrong about what was best for his own nation and Europe, but at least he had fully developed ideas which he could communicate to others. Bush seems to be no more than a selfish and superficial man who may well be mentally retarded.